UC Irvine Holds Off Marist, 66-65
Feb. 20, 2010
IRVINE, Calif. --- Eric Wise and Darren Moore posted double-doubles in leading UC Irvine past Marist, 66-65, in a non-conference game Saturday at the Bren Center as part of the BracketBusters series.
Wise had 20 points and 10 rebounds, marking his 10th 20-point game of the season and 16th of his career. It was his second double-double of the season and fourth in his career.
Moore scored 13 points and grabbed a career-high 12 rebounds. Zack Atkinson had 13 points, hitting 6 of 9 from the field, and added six boards for the Anteaters (12-16). Patrick Rembert tied his career high with eight rebounds and added six points and three assists. Michael Hunter had seven points, six rebounds and four assists.
Freshman guard Devin Price, who is from Inglewood, Calif., scored a career-high 18 points for Marist (1-26). Daye Kaba added 13 points and eight rebounds.
With the game tied at 62-62, Hunter drove the lane and fed Atkinson for the basket to give UCI a 64-62 lead with 15 seconds remaining.
After a Marist turnover, Hunter was fouled with four seconds remaining and hit both free throws to put the Anteaters up 66-62 before Kaba hit a three from the left corner with .6 left for the final score.
UCI out-rebounded the Red Foxes, 51-27, as the Anteaters pulled down a season-high 23 offensive boards.
Marist hit 13 of 24 threes in the game and shot 39.6 percent from the field in the game while UCI shot 34.9 percent and hit just 3 of 13 from beyond the arc.
The Red Foxes led for much of the first half before a late bucket by Wise gave UCI a 33-32 lead at intermission.
The Anteaters built a 46-34 lead after two free throws by Wise with 15:29 left in the game, but Marist went on an 18-6 run to tie the game at 52-52 on a three by Price with 7:45 remaining and took a 57-56 lead on a three by Dejuan Goodwin with 5:08 left.
Hunter then hit two free throws and Wise and Atkinson each made baskets to give UCI a 62-57 lead with 3:19 left. A three by Candon Rusin and a basket by Korey Bauer pulled Marist even at 62-62 with 50 seconds left, setting up Atkinson's bucket and Hunter's two free throws that sealed the win for the Anteaters.
"We hustled well, penetrated and got some good opportunities that we didn't always convert into baskets," UCI head coach Pat Douglass said.
"Obviously, the offensive boards were a key for us but you still have to stop them at the other end. We are glad to just get a win."
UCI hosts Cal State Northridge next Saturday night at 7:05 in the Homecoming game and the season's home finale. The Anteaters end regular-season play at UC Santa Barbara Mar. 3 and Cal Poly Mar. 6.
